U.S. patent number 6,779,906 [Application Number 10/392,259] was granted by the patent office on 2004-08-24 for decorative tree lightning system.
Invention is credited to Stephen Delmar.
United States Patent |
6,779,906 |
Delmar |
August 24, 2004 |
Decorative tree lightning system
Abstract
A Christmas tree lighting system for utilization with natural or
artificial Christmas trees includes an outer elongated tubular
covering having a zippered opening extending the length thereof.
This outer cover may be either attached to the trunk of the tree,
or suspended from an upper branch to extend along the trunk of the
tree. The outer covering has attached to its interior one or more
elongated flexible tubular casings, with a longitudinal zippered
opening extending from the upper end thereof downwardly a
predetermined distance toward the lower end thereof. The tubular
casings in turn enclose a plurality of flexible optical fibers
extending from the bottom thereof substantially toward the top of
the casing. When the zippered casing is opened, the optical fibers
may be bent outwardly therefrom and spread apart to lie along
branches of a tree in which the lighting system is used. A source
of light is applied to the bottom end of the optical fibers at the
base of the tree. The lighting system may be removed from the tree
by pulling the entire assembly downwardly out of the tree and then
first closing the tubular casings around the flexible optical
fibers, and then closing the outer covering. The entire assembly
then may be rolled up and stored until its next use is desired.
Inventors: |
Delmar; Stephen (Gilbert,
AZ) |
Family
ID: |
32869137 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/392,259 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/122; 362/374;
362/554; 362/564; 362/806 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
6/001 (20130101); F21S 4/10 (20160101); F21S
10/005 (20130101); F21W 2121/04 (20130101); Y10S
362/806 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21V
8/00 (20060101); F21S 10/00 (20060101); F21S
004/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;362/122,123,551,554,564-568,374,375,805,806 ;385/100,109,147,900
;174/36,135,136 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cariaso; Alan
Assistant Examiner: Tsidulko; Mark
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ptak; LaValle D.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A removable lighting system for a tree including in combination:
a first elongated generally flexible casing with first and second
ends, and having a longitudinal reclosable opening therein
extending from the second end toward the first end at least part of
the length of the casing; and a first plurality of flexible optical
fibers in the casing and extending from the first end toward the
second end, the optical fibers being released for arrangement on
the branches of a tree upon opening of the reclosable opening in
the casing.
2. A removable lighting system according to claim 1 further
including means for releasably attaching the first elongated casing
along the trunk of a tree.
3. The lighting system according to claim 2 wherein the means for
releasably attaching the first casing to the tree includes a hanger
for suspending the casing from an upper branch of the tree.
4. The lighting system according to claim 2 wherein the means for
releasably attaching the first casing to a tree includes releasable
fasteners located at spaced intervals along the length of the
casing for securing the casing to the trunk or branches of a
tree.
5. A lighting system according to claim 2 further including a
zipper for closing and opening the longitudinal reclosable opening
in the casing.
6. The lighting system according to claim 1 further including at
least a second elongated generally flexible casing with first and
second ends and having a longitudinal reclosable opening therein
extending from the second end toward the first end at least part of
the length of the casing; and a second plurality of flexible
optical fibers in the second casing and extending from the first
end toward the second end, the second plurality of fibers being
released for arrangement on the branches of a tree upon opening of
the reclosable opening in the second casing, whereupon the length
of the longitudinal reclosable opening in the first casing is of a
first predetermined length and the length of the longitudinal
reclosable opening in the second casing is of a second
predetermined length.
7. A lighting system according to claim 6 wherein the first
predetermined length is less than the second predetermined
length.
8. A lighting system according to claim 2 further including a
zipper for closing and opening the longitudinal reclosable openings
in the first and second casings.
9. A lighting system according to claim 7 further including means
for illuminating the first ends of the plurality of flexible
optical fibers.
10. The lighting system according to claim 9 wherein each of the
flexible optical fibers is fabricated to transmit light laterally
therefrom at predetermined spaced intervals along the length
thereof.
11. A lighting system according to claim 1 further including means
for illuminating the first ends of the plurality of flexible
optical fibers.
12. The lighting system according to claim 1 wherein each of the
flexible optical fibers is fabricated to transmit light laterally
therefrom at predetermined spaced intervals along the length
thereof.
13. A removable lighting system for a tree including in
combination: first elongated generally flexible elongated outer
cover having a longitudinal reclosable opening therein extending
substantially from a first end thereof to a second end thereof;
means for attaching the outer covering in a tree substantially
parallel to the trunk of the tree; at least one elongated generally
flexible inner casing having first and second ends and attached to
the interior of the outer covering and exposed by opening of the
longitudinal reclosable opening in the outer covering; a reclosable
opening extending longitudinally from the second end of the inner
casing to a predetermined length toward the first end of the inner
casing; and a plurality of flexible optical fibers in the inner
casing extending from the first end toward the second end, the
fibers being released for arrangement on the branches of the tree
upon opening of the reclosable opening in the inner casing.
14. A lighting system according to claim 13 further including means
for illuminating the first ends of the plurality of flexible
optical fibers.
15. The lighting system according to claim 13 wherein each of the
flexible optical fibers is fabricated to transmit light laterally
therefrom at predetermined spaced intervals along the length
thereof.
16. The lighting system according to claim 13 wherein a plurality
of flexible inner casings are enclosed in and attached to the
interior of the outer covering, with each of the plurality of inner
casings including a plurality of optical fibers extending from the
first end thereof toward the second end thereof, whereupon the
longitudinal reclosable opening in each of the plurality of inner
casings is of different predetermined lengths.
17. A removable lighting system according to claim 16 further
including at least three elongated generally flexible inner casings
each enclosing a plurality of flexible optical fibers therein.
18. The lighting system according to claim 17 wherein each of the
at least three inner casings has a longitudinal reclosable opening
therein extending from the first end thereof to a different
predetermined distance toward the second end thereof in each of the
three inner casings.
19. The lighting system according to claim 13 wherein the means for
releasably attaching the outer cover to the tree includes a hanger
attached to the second end of the outer cover.
20. The lighting system according to claim 13 wherein the means for
securing the outer cover to the tree includes a plurality of
fasteners for attaching the outer cover to the tree at spaced
intervals along the length of the outer cover.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present invention is directed to decorative light sets, and
more particularly, to decorative light sets useful in the
decoration of Christmas trees and the like. Traditional decorative
lights for Christmas trees, both for indoor and outdoor use,
typically consist of a pair of electrical wires carrying a
plurality of series or parallel connected lights, which may be
strung through the branches of indoor or outdoor Christmas trees.
Typically, these light sets are designed to be connected in series
with one another, or multiple light sets may be used on a single
tree. This requires the use of multiple extension cords and
connections to an electric light source. The stringing of such a
light set through a tree is a somewhat time consuming and tedious
procedure, both in the initial installation and in the subsequent
removal of the light set when the tree is to be taken down, or the
decorations are to be removed.
The United States patent to Woolford U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,559 is
directed to an electric Christmas tree, the trunk of which is in
the form of an elongated hollow post having electrical connectors
extending through it and terminating at a plurality of points along
its length in electrical sockets. This allows different strings of
lights to be plugged into the "trunk" of the tree, from which
artificial branches are extended. The design of this patent
eliminates the necessity for stringing extension cords and multiple
connectors between the tree and nearby wall outlets. Only a single
wall outlet is required with the structure of this tree The
structure of Woolford, however, still requires individual stringing
of the lights on the branches of the artificial Christmas tree of
which it is a part.
The advent of fiber optic strands has resulted in a large number of
ideas for utilizing a single light source typically located at the
base of a tree to illuminate one end of a bundle of optic fibers,
the other ends of which are distributed in various manners to the
branches of artificial Christmas trees. A large number of patents
are directed the formation of an artificial Christmas tree with a
hollow trunk, through which optical fibers extend to a termination
point near or at the base of the trunk. A light source is provided
for illuminating this end of the optical fibers. Then, at various
points along the trunk, holes are provided for the passage of
optical fibers out of the trunk onto the branches of the tree. The
manner in which the fibers are connected or displayed on the
branches varies in the disclosures of the different patents
directed to this general type of construction; but the overall
structure is substantially the same. All of the patents which
utilize this type of structure are directed to artificial Christmas
trees in which the fiber optic light systems are permanently
attached. Patents representative of such construction are the U.S.
patents to Pickering U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,608; Shattan U.S. Pat. No.
5,422,797; Broderick U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,170; Ferguson U.S. Pat.
No. 5,820,248; Gutshall U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,863; Harris U.S. Pat.
No. 6,017,142; and Kao U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,427.
A different technique for permanently installed fiber optic
lighting systems in artificial Christmas trees is described in the
United States patents to Carrington U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,118;
Pietrantonio U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,056; Cook U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,157;
and Zins U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,390. Although the specific structure
employed in each of these patents is somewhat different, all of
them employ the utilization of a hollow trunk or central core of
some type which includes a light source extending in it in the form
of an elongated fluorescent tube, or in the form of individual
multiple lights. Then fiber optic strands or bundles are connected
to the tree branches and extend to receive light from this internal
central core. The primary difference between the patents of this
group and those mentioned previously is that the optic fibers do
not extend into the hollow trunk and downwardly to a common source
at the bottom of the tree, but rather extend from the branches to
different positions along the length of the trunk, which includes
the internal lighted core.
Patents utilizing fiber optic strands for providing illumination in
a Christmas tree which are not directed to permanently built-in
type systems also have been devised for replacing the standard
two-wire multiple light systems which have been in common use. One
such patent is the United States patent to Morgan U.S. Pat. No.
4,777,571. This patent is directed to a fiber optic bundle which is
connected at one end to a light source designed to be located near
the bottom of a tree. Multiple strands then extend in parallel from
this source, and are designed to be attached to the tree at various
points throughout the tree. This results in a spray-like dispersal
of the different optical fibers which comprise the lighting system.
It is necessary to individually place each of the fiber ends where
desired in the tree, and then remove these fiber ends from the tree
when the lighting system is to be removed, much in the same manner
as effected with the common multiple light strings which have been
in widespread use in the past.
The United States patent to Reed U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,198 is
directed to a system for lighting the branches of a Christmas tree
by means of a fiber optic bundle which extends from the base of the
tree. The fiber optic strands are strung through the branches, or
are permanently secured in the branches in an artificial tree.
The United States patent to Colonna U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,728 is
directed to a different structure, in which a light source is
provided in a ring which is placed over the top of a Christmas
tree, either artificial or natural. Fiber optic strands then hang
down from the ring and may be arranged along the branches of the
tree or strung through the tree from the top to the bottom in order
to provide the desired light source.
It is desirable to provide a fiber optic light source which may be
used with both natural and artificial Christmas trees, which is not
a permanent part of the tree, and which is easy to install and easy
to remove from the tree for storage from one season to the
next.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved decorative
light system.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved
decorative light system using fiber optic strands.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved
decorative fiber optic Christmas tree lighting system capable of
use with both artificial and natural trees.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved
removable, easily storable and simple to install fiber optic
lighting system for use with Christmas trees and the like.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a
removable lighting system for a tree includes a first elongated,
generally flexible casing with first and second ends, and having a
longitudinal reclosable opening in it extending from the second end
a predetermined distance toward the first end. A plurality of
flexible optical fibers are located in the casing, and extend from
the first end toward the second end of the casing. The fibers are
released for arrangement on the branches of a tree upon opening of
the reclosable opening in the casing, either partially or through
its entire length to allow the fibers extending from the first end
of the casing to be arranged outwardly from the opening onto the
branches of the tree.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1
illustrating its manner of use;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4
illustrating further features;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in an open
configuration (refer to FIG. 1 as closed);
FIG. 7 is a front view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG.
6;
FIG. 8 is an alternative view of the portion shown in FIG. 7
illustrating a feature of its operation;
FIG. 9 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 10--10 of
FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a detail of a feature of a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference now should be made to the drawings in which the same
reference numbers are used throughout the different figures to
designate the same or similar components. Before entering into a
specific discussion of the structure which is shown in the various
figures of the drawings, it should be noted that the preferred
embodiments of the invention include an outer cover or sleeve made
of flexible material, such as cloth or plastic. This outer cover
then carries several (typically, three or four) smaller diameter
inner casings of elongated optical fibers inside the outer cover.
In its storage position, the outer cover and the included inner
casings can be rolled up into a relatively compact package for
storing. Typically, the outer cover, containing the inner casings
of fibers, has a diameter on the order of between 1" and 2".
When the lighting system is to be placed into and attached to
either an artificial or a natural Christmas tree or the like, it is
unwound and extended to its full length, as shown in the front view
of Figure and the side view of FIG. 2. As illustrated, the outer
cover 20 has a reclosable opening, shown as a zipper opening 24
extending from its upper end to a point at or near the bottom. At
the bottom of the assembly, a built-in light source 22 or a
termination point for the exposed bottom ends of a plurality of
fiber optic strands carried within the cover 20 is provided.
Ideally, the bottom 22 is connected permanently to the bottom of
the cover or sleeve 20, and it includes a suitable light source for
illuminating the ends of a large number of fiber optic strands in a
conventional manner. The source of light may be of a monochromatic
type; or there may be a rotating color wheel which provides light
input of different colors as the wheel is rotated to produce
different aesthetic treatments. The manner in which the fiber optic
strands are illuminated, however, may be of any conventional type;
and for that reason, no details of this portion of the system are
shown.
The outer cover 20 also has connection rings 28 spaced at intervals
along its length on the side opposite the reclosable opening 24, as
illustrated in FIG. 2. These rings 28 typically are spaced apart
approximately 12" or so, and accommodate flexible straps or twist
tie fasteners 26, which are looped through the rings 28 and then
are wound around the trunk 36 of either a natural or artificial
tree or the like, as illustrated in FIGS. 3,4 and 5. These rings 28
are used when the outer cover 20 is extended from a point near the
base of the tree and threaded upwardly between the branches, as
illustrated in FIG. 3, to a point near the top of the tree.
The straps 26 or other suitable connection devices then are drawn
around the trunk of the tree 36, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4,
and are used to secure the outer cover 20, containing three or more
inner casings of bundles of fibers, such as the four casings 40
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, from the bottom of the tree to the top.
Although FIG. 3 shows the outer cover 20 extending in a straight
line parallel to the axis of the trunk 36 of the tree, it should be
understood that the flexible outer cover 20, with the casings 40
inside it may be passed through the branches 38 extending outwardly
from the trunk 36 of the tree in a serpentine manner, attaching the
cover 20 at spaced intervals by the straps 26 along the length of
the tree to secure it in place.
Once the outer cover 20 has been secured as shown in FIG. 3, the
reclosable or zippered opening 24 is opened from top to bottom to
allow the outer cover 20 to be spread open to spread out over
one-fourth to one-half of the circumference of the trunk 36. This
exposes and spaces the inner fiber optic casings 40, moving them
from the position shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 to
the position shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5.
In order to hold the outer cover 20 open in the position
diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 5, spreaders 50 in the form of
elastic cords, twist ties, fasteners or the like, are extended
through sets of spreader openings 30 and 32 located on opposite
sides of the reclosable fastener 24, as illustrated in FIGS.
1,2,3,4 and 5. FIG. 5 shows a spreader 50 in position, pulling the
two edges of the cover 20 around the trunk 36 of the tree, to
position the internal fiber optic casings 40 at spaced intervals,
generally as illustrated in FIG. 5. It should be noted that the
casings 40 each are attached permanently on their rear sides to the
interior of the cover 20 and extend parallel to the axis of the
cover 20 when it is in its closed position.
Each of the interior casings 40 consist of an outer flexible cover
of plastic or cloth, which may be of the same or similar material
to the material used for the outer cover 20. Each of these inner
casings 40 also includes an elongated reclosable opening
illustrated in the form of zippered openings 42 in FIGS. 4 to 8 to
allow these inner casings 40 to be opened from the top end to a
distance extending from the top toward the bottom, in varying
amounts for each of the different casings 40. Each of the casings
40 carries and encloses a relatively large number of fiber optic
strands 44, which extend from the bottom ends of the casings 40 to
the top, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 6, the three casings 40 have zippered openings 42,
which extend three different distances from the top ends thereof
toward the bottom. The one in the middle has an opening which
extends the shortest distance from the top, while the one on the
left is the greatest distance and the one on the right of FIG. 6
extends an intermediate distance from the top toward the
bottom.
When the entire assembly is mounted in the tree, as described
previously in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through 5, the zippers or
reclosable openings 42 in the various casings 40 are opened up by
pulling them open from the top to the bottom, as illustrated in
FIGS. 7 and 8. This exposes the individual optic fibers within each
of the casings 40. It should be noted that the optic fibers in all
of the casings 40 extend from the bottom, where they are
illuminated by the light source 22 as diagrammatically illustrated
in FIG. 6, substantially all the way to the top of each of the
casings 40.
When the zippered openings 42 are opened as shown in FIG. 8 to the
extent of the full length opening of the zippers, or a lesser
amount, the optic fibers 44 in the casings 40 then are exposed, as
illustrated in FIG. 8 and in the lower right-hand portion of FIG.
5. The portions of the fibers 44 which extend above the bottom of
the reclosable opening 42 then are bent outwardly through the
opening and placed on the branches of the tree adjacent the casing
40 in which they were contained. This is diagrammatically
illustrated in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 5, and by the
bottom two fibers 44 which are shown in FIG. 8. The fibers may be
individually placed along one branch or several branches adjacent
each of the casings 40 to provide illumination on those
branches.
In the utilization of the system which is shown, the shortest
opening, the one shown in the middle casing 40 of FIG. 6, is used
to splay out or locate optic fibers 44 on the branches nearest the
top of the tree, since the exposed portion of the optic fibers is
of a less length than, for example, the exposed portion of the
optic fibers 44 which would be displayed or splayed out from the
left-hand casing 40 of FIG. 6.
It is readily apparent that by opening the different casings 40 to
different lengths, the amount of fiber 44 which extends outwardly
from the opening is greater as the opening extends closer toward
the base of the tree, as illustrated in the left-hand side of FIG.
6. Thus, the longest fibers 44 (that is the portion which is
exposed) are extended out on the lower branches of a tree, since
these branches extend outwardly from the trunk 36 a greater
distance than branches located near the top. Although only three
different lengths are illustrated in FIG. 6, obviously other
lengths could be provided, depending upon the utilization which is
to be made of the system.
It also is apparent from an examination of FIG. 5, for example,
that a single outer cover 20 containing three or four inner casings
40 of optic fibers, generally is not be capable of extending
casings 40 around the full 360.degree. circumference of the trunk
because of the presence of branches 38. Consequently, two or more
systems including outer-covers 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 1
through 5, may be placed at spaced intervals about the trunk 36 of
the tree to provide the desired coverage of the optic fibers 44
when the system is opened and utilized in the tree.
Because every portion of the system is comprised of flexible
materials, including the fiber optic strands 44, the outer cover 20
and the inner casings 40 all may be arranged in a generally
serpentine pattern dictated by the location of the branches 38
extending from the trunk 36 of the tree. The straight orientations
which are illustrated in drawings usually do not occur. The
operating principle, however, is identical to that which has been
described thus far in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through 8 of the
drawings.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a variation of the embodiment of the
invention which is designed to be hung from a branch near the top
of the tree, and therefore does not require the straps 26 and loops
28 which are employed with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5. The
embodiment of FIG. 9 includes a flexible outer cover 60, which is
substantially identical to the outer cover 20 of the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 through 5. The outer cover 60 is releasably closed from top
to bottom with a zipper 62, or other suitable releasable fastener
such as a hook-and-loop fabric fastener, and which operates in the
same manner as the zipper closure 24 shown in FIGS. 1 through
5.
At the top of the outer cover 60 of the embodiment of FIG. 9,
however, is a rigid hook 74 which is secured to the outer cover or
sleeve 60 in any suitable manner. When the device is to be used in
a tree, the hook 74 is looped over one or more of the top branches
and the entire outer cover 60 is allowed to unfurl or extend
downwardly along the trunk 36 of the tree in a serpentine path
between the branches 38 to assume a general alignment with the
trunk 36 of the tree, as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the embodiment
of FIGS. 1 and 2. At the bottom of the assembly of FIG. 9 is a
suitable light source 72, which is substantially identical to the
light source 22 illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through
6.
When the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is released or opened from top
to bottom, in the same manner as described previously for the
embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6, bendable metal fingers 64 (secured
to the outer cover 60 in any suitable manner) are then bent
backwardly around the trunk 36 of the tree, as shown in dotted
lines in FIG. 10, to hold the outer cover 60 open against the trunk
36 of the tree. The outer cover 60 holds three or more casings 40
of optic fiber strands 44, identical in all respects to the casings
40 which have been described previously in conjunction with FIGS. 4
through 8. Thus, when the outer cover 60 is opened from the closed
position shown in solid lines in FIG. 10 to the position shown in
dotted lines, the inner casings 40 are arranged around the trunk 36
of the tree in much the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 5 in
conjunction with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4. The basic
operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 is identical to that
of the embodiment described previously in conjunction with FIGS. 1
through 6. The inner casings 40 are configured in the same manner
as those described in conjunction with FIGS. 6,7 and 8.
The actual optic fibers 44 which are employed in all of the
embodiments which have been described above, and which are shown in
the drawings, may be of standard, single strand or multiple twisted
strands of flexible optic fibers providing illumination from the
exposed end thereof in a manner which is common to several of the
prior art optic fiber illumination systems which have been
described above. In addition, however, optic fibers may be enclosed
in an opaque sheath 44, as illustrated in FIG. 11. The sheath 44
has apertures or openings 90 formed through it to allow light to
escape from the sides of fibers 144 which may be a single strand of
fiber optic material, or which may be a twisted or woven strand of
multiple small fibers to make a larger diameter fiber.
By overdriving the fibers 144 within the sheath 44, light is caused
to emanate from the sides of the optic fibers through the holes 90
in the sheath as well as to emanate from the ends, as indicated in
FIG. 11. It should be noted that the representation shown in FIG.
11 is much larger than the actual size of the sheath 44, and that
the number of fiber strands carried within the sheath may be a
single strand (as mentioned earlier) or multiple strands of thin
fibers, as indicated in FIG. 11. The invention, however, does not
require utilization of an apertured sheath 44 of the type shown in
FIG. 11. Conventional end fired fiber optic strands may be employed
as well. When end fired strands are used, however, the only light
which is present in the tree is projected from the ends of the
fibers; whereas if a fiber strand of the type shown in FIG. 11 is
employed, tiny pinpoints of light extend from near the trunk of the
tree all the way out to the fiber ends when the device is fully
illuminated and in use.
When the system is to be stored away, a reverse of the process
which has been described previously takes place. The fibers 44 on
any given branch are pulled back into the casings 40 which then are
zipped closed to place them in the closed position shown in FIGS. 6
and 7. Once this has been done, the fasteners which hold the outer
covering 20 or 60 onto the trunk of the tree are loosened or
removed; and the outer coverings 20 or 60 is reclosed from the
bottom up to place all of the internal fiber optic casings 40 into
the configuration generally shown in the top cross-sectional views
of FIGS. 4 and 10. Once this has been done, the entire system
readily can be removed from the tree, rolled up and stored in a
relatively compact package until it is next desired for use.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention is to be considered as illustrative and not as limiting.
Various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in
the art for performing substantially the same function, in
substantially the same way, to achieve substantially the same
results without departing from the true scope of the invention as
defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *